Page 923 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

‘You said, my dear, that it would depend on Alexey
Alexandrovitch,’ Betsy corrected her.
‘Oh, no, I can’t receive him; and what object would
there....’ She stopped suddenly, and glanced inquiringly at

her husband (he did not look at her). ‘In short, I don’t
wish it...’
Alexey Alexandrovitch advanced and would have taken
her hand.
Her first impulse was to jerk back her hand from the
damp hand with big swollen veins that sought hers, but
with an obvious effort to control herself she pressed his
hand.
‘I am very grateful to you for your confidence, but...’
he said, feeling with confusion and annoyance that what
he could decide easily and clearly by himself, he could not
discuss before Princess Tverskaya, who to him stood for
the incarnation of that brute force which would inevitably
control him in the life he led in the eyes of the world, and
hinder him from giving way to his feeling of love and
forgiveness. He stopped short, looking at Princess
Tverskaya.
‘Well, good-bye, my darling,’ said Betsy, getting up.
She kissed Anna, and went out. Alexey Alexandrovitch
escorted her out.

922 of 1759